RSS Feed

    This is my 22nd year teaching orchestra at Shorewood.  Shorewood has three orchestras: the Concert Orchestra (9th grade), Symphony Orchestra (grades 10-12), and the Chamber Ensemble (by audition, grades 10-12).  I also teach at Einstein: the Concert Orchestra (7th grade) and the Symphony Orchestra (8th grade).   In the past, I have also taught elementary strings at  Sunset, Syre, Highland Terrace, Parkwood and Echo Lake.
     I graduated from Washington State University with a B.A. in Music, and from Indiana University (Bloomington)  with an M.M. in Viola Performance, "With Highest Distinction".  I had a 15 year professional career before I started teaching, playing viola in professional orchestras and string quartets in Germany, Italy and Luxembourg, as well as in Richmond (VA), Charlotte (NC) and Sacramento (CA).  I still continue to free-lance throughout the region, and regularly perform in summer music festivals in California and Oregon.
    In my teaching career, I have been President of Washington String Teachers (WA-ASTA), President of Sno-King Music Educators, Group Manager for several All-State and All-Northwest Orchestras, and am currently an Executive Board member of Washington Music Educators (WMEA),.  In 2008, I was inducted into the WMEA Hall of Fame, was named WA-ASTA String Teacher of the Year and the Shoreline School District Teacher of the Year.  My Shorewood orchestras have performed in New York City (Carnegie Hall, twice), Florida, Hawaii, California, Oregon and British Columbia.  I am also a conductor for the Cascade Youth Symphony.
    My wife Diane and I have three children: Nick, 26, Ben, also 26, and Chelsea, 16.  Diane is a mortgage banker by profession, but is also a free-lance violinist.  My main spare time activity is reading, and I am an avid hiker and mountain climber (Mt. Rainier three times, Mt. St. Helens 19 times, also Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, Mt. Hood, Half Dome, Mt. Whitney, the Wonderland Trail, among others).  In June 2007, I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, at 19,340', the highest point in Africa.  I love to travel; Diane and I have had several great vacations in Europe.